Promoting Positive Emotional Functioning in Police and Military Populations

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Anhedonia
• Interventions: Behavioral: PVSET

• Registration Number: NCT06035562
• Lead Sponsor: University of Manitoba

Brief Summary

This study will examine whether actively serving and veteran members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) who complete a treatment targeting anhedonia symptoms and amplifying positive emotional processing: 1) experience significant symptom reductions in anxiety, trauma, and depressive symptoms; 2) report increased experience of positive emotions; 3) report improvements to broad functioning and quality of life; and 4) find the treatment to be highly tolerable.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2023-09-05
• Study First Submitted: 2023-09-06
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-09-06
• Study First Posted: 2023-09-13
• Status Verified: 2024-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-11-21
• Last Update Posted: 2024-11-25
• Primary Completion: 2025-04
• Study Completion: 2025-08

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 65

Inclusion Criteria

• Be an actively serving or veteran member of the CAF and RCMP;
• Have been referred to receive the treatment protocol at the OSIC at Deer Lodge Centre by a doctor or psychologist;
• Have previously participated in at least one evidence-based psychological treatment for depressive, anxiety, or trauma-and-stressor-related condition at OSIC but remain clinically symptomatic;
• Be able to speak, read, and write in English;
• Have no current psychosis, untreated bipolar disorder, or current suicidal ideation with plan and intent;
• Be on a stable medication regime and agree to not make changes for the duration of the treatment.

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
PVSET	PVSET	Participants will receive a course of individual therapy through the Operational Stress Injury Clinic (OSIC) at Deer Lodge Centre. Therapy will consist of a validated treatment protocol known as Positive Valence System Enhancement Treatment for Anxiety and Depression (PVSET), which will consist of psychoeducation and positive activity interventions designed to increase positive emotions, cognitions, and behaviors. Therapy sessions will be facilitated by psychologists, licensed therapists (e.g., MSW, RPN), and/or graduate students in psychology under supervision at the OSIC. PVSET will consist of 6 sessions, each lasting one hour, and will be delivered either virtually or in-person at OSIC depending on patient preference.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in PTSD symptoms	6 weeks	Change in PTSD symptom severity based on the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Scores on this scale range from 0-80 with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity.
Change in depression symptoms	6 weeks	Change in depression symptoms based on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Scores on this scale range from 0-27, with higher scores indication more severe depression.
Change in anxiety symptoms	6 weeks	Change in anxiety symptoms based on the Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale (OASIS). Scores on this scale range from 0-20, with higher scores indication more severe anxiety.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in positive and negative affect	6 weeks	Change in positive and negative affect based on the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Scores on the two subscales of this assessment range from 0-50, with higher scores on the positive affect subscale representing higher levels of positive affect, and lower scores on the negative affect subscale representing lower levels of negative affect.
Change in quality of life	6 weeks	Change in quality of life as measure by the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q-SF). Scores on this scale range from 0-70, and are converted to a percentage, with higher scores indicating greater life enjoyment and satisfaction.
Psychotherapy progress	6 weeks	Psychotherapy progress as measured by the Outcome Questionnaire 45 (OQ-45). A total score of all subscales ranges from 0 to 180, with higher scores indicating more severe distress and functional impairment.
Treatment acceptability	6 weeks	Acceptability of the treatment program based on responses to a Treatment Acceptability Questionnaire. Scores on this questionnaire range from 5-30 with higher scores indicating greater acceptability.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Deer Lodge Centre; 🇨🇦 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada